Finally an Update

I realized the other day its been almost a year since I've posted in this blog. I'll spare you the details of the past 11 months of my life, and instead offer you a list of what has been done at the house:

1. Built new fence around backyard - currently finishing the fence on the side of the house before my fence permit inspection date in November

2. Painted entry hall ceiling, living room walls, stair hall walls (talk about a challenge - I have found a lot of ways to creatively use a ladder thanks to this project), and painted stair hall ceiling

3. Removed ugly 1970s INDOOR lighting from EXTERIOR of conservatory, replaced front porch light and back porch light (no more ugly 1970s Colonial carriage lamps!)

4. Relocated doorbell from door frame of spare bedroom (why it was there in the first place is anyone's guess) to wall above the door and replaced lighting fixtures in stair hall with something that is acceptable for now (until I find historic fixtures I like)

5. Trimmed trees in front and back yard (major undertaking), cut down nasty female Chinese pistache tree (so many sticky, sidewalk staining berries) and a badly formed/half dead ornamental cherry tree

6. Pressure washed brick patio, removed rotten boards between the brick grids and replaced with mortar, tore out fish pond in middle and filled in with sand/gravel and bricked it over, sealed all twice with Behr's Wet Look Sealer (an awesome product) - the patio is great! probably the single most time-consuming project (weeks) but that produced the best results and personal satisfaction

7. Pressure washed and sealed brick on front porch (see #6 above)

8. FINALLY found a source for picture rail hooks (that are historically appropriate, high quality, and that I LIKE) and have begun hanging pictures the way they were intended to be hanged (Victorians would swoon!). I also had trouble finding picture hanging decorative cord for less than $10 a yard, but finally found a solution at Jo-Ann Fabrics (none of my pictures are too heavy, so regular decorative cording usually used for pillow edges is a perfect, and just as eye-pleasing, substitute.) Finished nicely with a tassel on the hook!

Source for hooks: House of Antique Hardware

Amidst all of the above, I have been going through boxes and donating things that I no longer want/no longer need. Plus regular upkeep and maintenance (which is a lot on such a large lot/in such a large house - but I know what I signed up for) has kept me extremely busy.

Current (and near future) projects: Tile conservatory floor, wallpaper dining room with historic textured (paintable!) wallpaper, hook up new dining room old brass chandelier (which replaces a painted 70s one), continue hanging pictures.

After that, I think I'll just "nest" for a bit, finish my sorting/organizing/donating project, and work on cataloging family photos (which is another project I've started.)

And hopefully, of course, more blog updates with photos.